Snow With A Side of Pestilence
by Thaliona
Summary: Beast Boy has finally managed to convince a friend to visit, tensions arise but then a greater problem comes to light. The Teen Titans must face a challenge like nothing before...a disease that rivals the Bubonic Plague.
1. Prologue

M'kay, well people this is my first attempt at a TT fanfic so if there are any faults, other than say spelling or grammar, please don't like eat me or anything. Helpful criticism is by all means welcomed but no one wants to be bashed. Basically this is just a prologue and you don't even get to meet BB's friend who is causing all the tension. If I decide to continue it then you will. P

Disclaimer: Nothing related to Teen Titans belongs to me and I take no credit. Although BB's friend (Kandle) is mine as much as a figment of imagination can be.

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After hours of begging, turning into just about every cuddly animal known to man and bribing BB finally managed to talk her into coming. Every other second he'd glance at the two watches on either wrist; that time was moving slowly on purpose could be the only conclusion as to why it was still 5:26 instead of 5:30pm. Pacing the halls Beast Boy had earned a couple of sidelong glances from his fellow Titans; he hadn't been this antsy since Terra but she had been dead for a while now. They knew why of course, all but one though and he hadn't been at the Tower all day. Cy hollered from the living room, where he was glued to the couch, for BB to sit down and stop acting like an animal in a cage. The joke was lost on the green hued teen and Cyborg went back to his video game, muttering something that probably wasn't a compliment.

It was Christmas time again; angels were perched on tree tops and jolly old men in red suits called out for charities. The Tower was dressed accordingly and in honor of the festivities the Titans had decided to hold a little shindig of their own. There would be music, glittery things and most importantly food of all sorts. Both the Teen Titans and Titans East were there, enjoying themselves as best they could. Villains never really did take off the holidays but at least the work load was lighter than usual.

"Gah…where is she!" Beast Boy was nearly pulling out his hair as he wandered into the living room. Plopping besides the distracted Cyborg he heaved a sad sigh. "Do you think she forgot?" Or maybe she wasn't even going to come…that's what happened last year. Something 'came up' oh so conveniently and BB had been in bad humors for about a month. Hey, after a year of planning and then the plans completely destroyed without a good reason could do that to a person.

Cyborg shrugged his shoulders, too intent on his game to notice the obvious distress that plagued his friend. He wasn't really expecting BB's friend to show, not after what happened two years ago this time. A shudder ran through his half human-half machine body. It had not been pleasant.

"Worry not friend, I'm sure she will come this time," Twittered the almost always cheery Starfire, a decorated wreath was in her hands and with ease, the girl could fly after all, she placed it above the TV set. "Bumblebee and I picked it out," She chimed as Bumblebee herself came in, a bit of tinsel protruding from a plastic bag slung over her shoulder.

"Who?" Bumblebee questioned which earned her a startled glance from all three in the room. Her mouth formed an 'O' as the realization hit her. "Does he know?" She muttered leaning against the back of the couch.

The slanted grin and nervousness that lined it gave Bumblebee her answer. "Well…I thought…maybe things would be different this year. I mean, come'n you still don't think-" A loud snort from Cy cut him off and BB's facial expression plummeted into one of despair.

Star placed a hand on her friend's slumped shoulder, "It has been two years now, maybe they won't fight…as much…" She tried to console the crestfallen Beast Boy but to no avail.

About to say something else Beast Boy was interrupted by Speedy and Robin carrying in enough food to feed an army. "You really think she's going to come? Your friend?" Robin arched a brow and Speedy stifled a laugh. They too obviously remembered.

BB groaned before burying his face into the cushions of the couch. If she didn't come he'd feel hurt and if she did come all hell would most likely break loose. Why did life complicate the most simplest of matters? "She probably won't come," He sounded overly deflated and even Cyborg dragged his attention away long enough to give BB a pat on the back.

It was then that a very agitated looking Raven came into the room, Mas y Menos running circles around her. "You're friend is here BB," She hardly had time to get out the full sentence before the now ecstatic Beast Boy hurdled over the couch, past Robin and Speedy, and disappeared down into the main hallway.

"So does this mean…" Cy looked over his shoulder at his fellow Titans, on the TV screen a livid explosion was taking place.

Robin winced and nodded, "Ya…just about."

"Lovely…" Raven commented blandly, Bumblebee shook her head and Star took on a look of horror.

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I should warn you now there will be no open romance for quite some time. If you haven't already guessed most of the fanfic will be...slightly like an explosion. R&R please.


	2. Candle with a 'K'

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Teen Titans, obviously. Although Kandle is mine as much as a fictional character can be owned.

So here is the basic introduction to Kandle and the utter hate between her and Aqualad. Don't ask why I haven't quite figured that bit out yet. xD Also, for all those who have read the comics, I must admit I have not, but I am trying to keep to the details. Do tell if I have made an utterly wrong mistake.

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Her real name was Mina Anna Gray but ever since they first met in Africa Beast Boy had called her Kandle and the name had just stuck. No, she wasn't a pyro as the nickname seemed to suggest. When the name had first been given neither of the two even knew what a pyro was. It had all started from a nursery rhyme 'Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack jump over the candle stick.' When they first met Beast Boy, then known as Garfield, had tried to do just that to what he thought was a living candle stick. It was an easy mistake…really…Mina did have flaming read hair at the time and was thin as a reed so to speak. After the initial bruises and tears the two got on famously. It was blessing their parents decided, neither of the children being completely comfortable in the African setting. Why exactly was Mina there with her parents? Well, that little bit is for later.

Kandle's mind drifted over their young childhood of foggy memories, then the separation, which lasted in the big picture for a slightly small amount of time. They were both surprised to find upon entering a year of school to find the other. Kandle, of course, remembering the green colored boy almost immediately. Their friendship continued until Kandle was shipped off to boarding school. Through letters and e-mails they had kept their 'bond' and it was this bond that was forcing the young woman to walk the halls of the Titan's tower. Past problems tucked away Kandle put on a brave face and was enjoying herself to an extent.

The problem though is that trouble doesn't like to be put aside so easily.

So caught up in reliving her childhood memories with Beast Boy, she almost walked into the towering youth coming down the hall. Both of their eyes narrowed into slits and Kandle's hand found BB's shoulder. "I thought you said _he_ wasn't going to be here," She growled through bared teeth, BB winced as Kandle dug her fingernails into his skin.

"Oh...well…I…" He stammered, words losing their meaning and sentences becoming incoherent.

"Just shut up Gar," Kandle snapped before releasing his shoulder, Beast Boy cringed at being called the shortening of his real name. She only did that when utterly angry.

His day had been going quite nicely but now Aqualad had the sudden urge to severely injure Beast Boy at the moment. _She_ wouldn't be here if that animal-shifting...if he hadn't asked her to come. It quite possible that at any minute smoke would start coming out of both their ears. Although that would be quite odd seeing as Garth was wet at the moment.

Let there be no mistake, this was not a romance gone sour. This was a hate, pure and simple. The two of them just rubbed each other the wrong way so it seemed. Their stony eyed staring contest would have continued on and on had not Starfire poked her head around the corner and cheerfully announced that dinner had arrived.

Kandle was the one to turn away first, practically dragging Beast Boy by the ear. "Oh goodie…I hope we're having fish…" She muttered a little too loudly, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the Atlantian who clenched his hands into fists so tight his knuckles had turned white.

If at all possible his eyes got even narrower and reluctantly he stormed into the living room where a deathly silence had fallen over the usually talkative crowd.

Well…sorta…the silence was broken by the loud chewing of cheese pizza. Kandle divided her time between poking the oily slice of artery clogging pizza on her plate and glaring vehemently at Aqualad while trying to make it look like she wasn't. It was too late to leave anyway, her bags were unpacked and her flight back to Gotham city was at the end of her Christmas break. Yeah, Kandle did attend a boarding school where the food sucked and her bed was like a rock, and yeah, it wasn't all that great but it did beat living with her partially crazy grandmother. Kind as the woman was Kandle hated how often she would go off on her rants on just about everything under the sun.

Finally biting into the pizza she felt a dribble of oil run down her cheek. Hopefully it wouldn't stain her top.

Someone muttered 'slob' from the corner of the room and Kandle growled but said nothing, instead wiped off the oil. Kandle rolled her eyes at Beast Boy's appreciative glance in her direction, before biting savagely into her meal, still occasionally glancing at Garth who had opted to avoid the pizza claiming it to be a 'disgusting excuse for food.' Arrogant jerk…he'd probably go eat some seaweed or krill later….What _do_ Atlantians eat? The question arose randomly but Kandle shrugged it off. Not important.

Aqualad eyed her with contempt, arms folded across his chest the youth felt the bile rising in his throat just looking at Kandle. He couldn't help but think over all the possible ways to make her leave because, with the rest of Titans East here, he couldn't. It wasn't as if she was even a honorary Titan! The corner of his lips twitched as she caught him staring at her and arched a delicate brow at him. As long as they didn't have to talk or even get within a five meter radius then just maybe things would be different this time.

Kandle was thinking along the same lines as she finished off her dinner. The less interaction the better…but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

"Alright, who wants to do the dishes?" Robin called out and, as expected, everyone ignored his question completely. Well, it was only a couple of plates…they wouldn't topple the already large mountain of plates stacked in the kitchen sink.

Star had another idea though, clapping her hands together before she spoke the pit of Beast Boy's stomach dropped. He had a bad feeling about this. "What if our friends Kandle and Aqualad do them?" Kandle's brows shot up as Garth's jaw dropped. What the…? No way…hell would have to freeze over first.

There was that silence again before Robin bobbed his head. "That sound's like a great idea Star, well guys, get to it," He looked at all of them, especially the two in question. Cy and Speedy looked about ready to burst out in laughter, Raven quickly vanished into her rooms and Bumblebee made a noise that sounded like a mixture between a laugh and groan. Even Mas and Menos unlinked hands and stopped on a dime.

Kandle choked back a snarl and glanced dangerously down at Beast Boy. An eye twitched but stiff legged she shuffled to the kitchen. "You," She pointed at Aqualad, "wash, I'll dry." It wasn't a suggestion or a question but a harsh demand that made even Cyborg cringe.

"Why do _I_ have to wash?" Garth stormed up in front of her, making an obvious point to look down as he spoke. At least he was taller than her, not that it was much of an achievement but every plus was, well, a plus.

"Because, _friend_," Her eyes darted to the beaming Star but quickly flitted back to Aqualad, "you are from a very wet place and I like to stay dry. That and my hands prune easy," Was her cold retort before they were lost from the sight of the other Titans.

Robin had a feeling that perhaps it hadn't been all that smart to agree with Star. The sound of a plate shattering only confirmed it.

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Oh and yes this eventually will become a romance, if I do decide to continue it.


	3. A Skillet?

Um...honestly...I don't like how this turned out. There really isn't much to say about it. xD Oh and thanks for reviewing and Sober...please come back to WVRP. WE NEED YOU. With that said...enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own TT, never will.

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She was bent over, picking up the shards of a broken plate from off the floor. That jackass had dropped it on purpose. Kandle hissed as a piece scratched her finger and a droplet of blood leaked from the minor cut. "Ow…" Nursing the finger she hastily dumped the bits of plate into a trashcan and resumed her dish drying duty, blatantly ignoring Garth's sniggering. "I'm glad you find my pain funny," Her tone was biting.

"I'm sure it's agonizing," Garth replied dryly, grinning just somewhat spitefully at her.

Kandle snorted but after that they worked in silence. Lips pursed in anger she stacked the dry plates with a contained vehemence, occasionally glancing at Garth with obvious disdain written on her features. During one of these fleeting glimpses she noticed something; he had purple eyes. Now that wasn't something one saw often. She'd always thought they were black, kinda demonic but with closer inspection they really were just a dark shade of purple. They were actually…wait. No, what was she thinking? Before she could drag her gaze away Garth caught her looking at him.

"Yes?" He turned from the sink, tossing the sponge into the sink. Aqualad found amusement in the way she began to scrub harder at an already bone dry plate.

Kandle shot him an icy glare and muttered something that sounded a little like 'nothing'.

He nearly laughed but contained himself, returning to his dish cleaning. Deciding to have just a bit of fun he sent a stream of water onto a plate Kandle had just finished drying. "You missed a spot," Garth ever so kindly pointed out.

Sniffing the red-head dabbed at the water, again and again after he continued the antic a couple of time. "Would you just fricken' stop you immature prick?" She practically shrieked it, deciding that a calm tone just wouldn't get her point across. "Can't you just clean the damn plates and just stay on _your_ half of the counter? Do I really need to draw a line?"

Garth just started at her for a moment before replying smugly, "Since when did we have assigned sides and it's not _my_ fault if you can't dry a plate efficiently."

Her mouth opened but snapped shut. "You….you…argh…." Throwing up her hands, a damp rug clutched in the left, Kandle was out of things to call him and resigned to simply growl in disgust. "You know, I honestly thought that perhaps you wouldn't be such an utter asshole this time. I mean we are practically adults and yet you haven't matured a bit," Kandle mused aloud, ignoring the fact that she wasn't exactly acting 'adult-like' either. Seriously though, _she_ was the victim here. In her mind at least and that's all that mattered.

"And you're such a lovely person. I'm sure you have so many 'friends' flocking to 'hang-out' with you you've no time to yourself. How do you manage to keep that friendship with Beast Boy?" He muttered, glaring at her coldly. Kandle noticed that his eyes took on an even brighter tint of purple when angry but quickly banished the thought.

She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips yet again in irritation. "Hey at least me friends don't taste good with tarter sauce-" The rest of what she was to be said was drowned out by a rush of soapy water and Kandle's gurgled screams.

In the living room the Titans had already placed bets on Kandle and Aqualad. So far the odds were favoring the Atlantian, but BB was remaining firm. Star, who couldn't quite grasp the fun in gambling, was looking horribly confused and even Robin was having a hard time cheering her.

"It is wrong to be gambling on our friends. I am sure they are getting along just fine," The alien urged but her voice was accompanied by Kandle's high-pitched screaming, muffled by the sound of water. It sounded like a scuffle was taking place; something was thrown and hit its mark. There was a groan and then silence.

They all exchanged worried glances but none of them made a move. "Maybe we should make sure to see if they're still in one piece…" Beast Boy rubbed at the back of his head nervously, eyes darting to the kitchen door.

"You should go, Kandle's your friend," This was Cyborg, edging closer to a anxious looking Bumblebee on the couch. Beast Boy sighed, putting off entering the war zone. The members of Titans East seemed just a little more on edge, after all, Aqualad _was_ one of them and it probably would be a bad thing if he'd been…injured.

As it was none of them would have to dare sneaking into the kitchen. A very pissed, very wet, Kandle came stalking from the kitchen. Eyes were blood shot from having been doused in soapy water, hair that was always well-kept was now frizzing out at all ends. Water dripped from the sides of her face and the front of her shirt was sticking to her chest and shoulders. Only Beast Boy could see the slight tremble of her lip and quiet fear that lurked within squinting eyes.

Shuffling past them Kandle stopped in front of her green friend, was about to say something but either forget or just decided against it and then promptly scuttled to her room. The door was slammed and then bolted, so loud it reverberated off the walls and into the living room for all to hear.

Within seconds of Kandle's exit every member of the Titans rushed to the door of the kitchen. "Aqualad are you okay?" When he didn't answer Speedy and the Titans East leader barged through the entrance expecting the worst.

Aqualad was, in fact, standing with a dazed expression on his face. A hand was a little off centered on his forehead where a bruise was already beginning to form. "That…that homicidal friend of Beast Boy's…threw a skillet at me…." He stuttered, unfocused eyes falling on the slightly indented frying pan on the floor. Looking up at his fellow Titans Garth blinked his eyes hard once, then twice.

Still in shock Garth stumbled from the kitchen, Speedy and Bumblebee at his sides. Mas y Menos had already gone elsewhere as had Raven, deciding to avoid the entire ordeal. Only Cyborg, Beast Boy, Star and Robin were left in the kitchen.

"Maybe you shouldn't have invited your friend," Robin stated, strumming his fingers against the counter. He looked to Beast Boy, whose cheeks had turned a funny shade of pink by now.

"Heh, you're just upset because you lost a bet to Raven."

Star gasped at Robin, "You bet on our friends as well? Robin…that's…that's not very kind of you at all!" In a huff the alien flew from the room leaving a deflated Robin.

Cy and Beast Boy chuckled dryly, nudging each other with their elbows. "You might wanna go after her Robin. Smooth things out."

Scowling the Titans leader left the room but not before muttering something about respect or, more specifically, lack of it.

"So…a skillet?" Cy asked his changeling friend, picking up the weapon of choice.

Beast Boy frowned, something rare to see on him, "Dude, better than her other choices," He pointed out to where the skillet had been grabbed from, a cheese grater and steak knife were gleaming maliciously under the kitchen lights.


	4. Why

For the most part this is just fluff but it's the beginning of an actual plot, the last paragraph to be exact. The lacking of a real plot was starting to hurt.

Disclaimer: Don't own TT, never will.

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Beast Boy knocked on her door, gently at first but grew increasingly louder. "Kandle!" He yelled, now furiously beating against the door. "Open up! Come'n!" His fists were beginning to throb and just as he was about to give up the door cracked open an inch. Without waiting for permission BB entered the room, steam was still escaping from the bathroom that had just been in use. "Hey."

A brush was desperately trying to get out the tangles but ended up pulling out more hair then anything else. Kandle had the mass of her hair plummeting down a shoulder and nearly pooling into her crisscrossed legs. Yes, it was true, Kandle had an obscene amount of hair and it was very thick and a pain in the ass. However, it was her one true vanity. She had books on the a hundred and one ways to put it into odd coils and fashionable braids. Things such as dandruff, split-ends and greasy hair did not exist and if they did decide to make an appearance in Kandle's orderly locks they were battled back with a vast assortment of shampoos.

"You wanted something?" Not meeting his eyes Kandle focused completely on brushing her hair. She was sitting on the bed of the unofficial guest bedroom, away from the door and partially hid in a shadow created by the bathroom door.

He didn't have to see the traitorous tears that tried to form in the corners of her eyes to know something was wrong, other than the obvious. "I was just…checking to make sure you were all right," BB hopped next to her on the bed, swinging his legs over the edge.

Realizing that her friend wouldn't just leave her alone Kandle seemed to morph into another person entirely. She put on a scowl and brandished a fistful of hair in Beast Boy's face. "Dishwater! In /my/ hair, do you know what kind of damage could have been done to the follicles!" Working herself into a rage Kandle went back to running the heavy bristled brush through her hair, which was becoming less matted but her work did not decrease.

"Um…Kandle…you might want to stop…" He motioned with his eyes the large amount of hair that was entwined in the brush's bristles. "And you might as well just tell me what's up cause' I know you're not about to cry over your hair." Obsessed as she was, Beast Boy found it hard to believe his friend would have become that vain.

She put the brush down and a hand clenched the auburn hair. "I am not going to cry…" And true to her words, Kandle didn't have a sign of a tear anymore, although both eyes were glistening. "Look, just the whole water in the face thing…" Nervous fingers were creating new, more complicated knots in her hair.

BB started to chew on his lower lip and for once a joke that would cheer her up couldn't come to mind. "Titans East left a while ago, they might come back tomorrow if things are clear in their side of the city," Beast Boy wasn't surprised when Kandle's only comment was a snort. There was that damnable silence again and it bothered BB more so than usual. "You hit Aqualad pretty hard…there's already a bruise," He ignored his friend's slight grin and continued, "maybe you should, I dunno, apologize or something…" Before the final words had been said Kandle's body stiffened and the room seemed very cold all of a sudden.

"Apologize? APOLOGIZE? He deserved it and you know it!" Near shouting, the veins on her neck were almost visible. "He's just lucky I had soap in my eyes so I couldn't see what it was that I threw at him!" She gritted her teeth and tried to stop her nostrils from flaring.

Beast Boy had taken enough of this animosity and no one else was going to try to bring Kandle to her senses. "You both are acting just plain stupid but the least you could do is try to be nice! For me? It can't be that hard and why is it that you hate him so much? I never really got that memo."

Taken aback from his flippancy Kandle could only point an accusing finger at him. "He…it's not, how can you even think of siding with him!" Eyes wide Kandle tried to move the topic off of 'why' but Beast Boy wouldn't let her.

"There is no real reason Kandle, I know it and so do you," He put a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture, "What happened to your dad isn't Aqualad's fault. I know what you went through, what you're going through, but sometimes you just have to let things go. At least you have your mom-" He didn't get to finish.

Kandle had spun off the bed and was now standing in the middle of the room. "No, Garfield, you don't know what I'm going through. You're parents died in an accident, okay, a boating accident. What happened to my father was not an accident. I know it's not Aqualad's fault, I'm not that stupid, but the fact that he's one of them just…it reminds me. It rubs it in my face that my dad was murdered and there was nothing done about it. I can't exactly let that go." While trembling she could feel hot tears start to run down her cheeks. Her father had been apart of the Navy but had moved his wife and child to Africa for reasons known only to him. That's why they lived there, because he told them to. Kandle hadn't seen her father often but she worshiped the stranger like a god. He was her idol.

They killed him though, the Atlantians. The ship her father had been stationed on was merely a cargo ship at the time. True the waters were close to the Atlanis borders but they had been dubbed a no man's land of sorts. His ship shouldn't have been sunk but it had been. He shouldn't have died but he did. Kandle had hardly known him but the loss had struck hard.

"My mom? You're kidding right," Her sneer was softened by the now steady flow of tears and the way she was hugging herself. "Ever since…you know what happened…I saw her recently…for a minute or two. As soon as she laid eyes on me…they had to sedate her to stop the screaming…." Closing her eyes Kandle sank to the floor and everything that could have been said was overcome by painful sobbing. She hadn't cried like this since a large man in a uniform told them her father had been lost at sea.

Her words stung him deeply, he really did know the feeling of loss and guilt, but he did know Kandle was not herself. Never having fully seen his friend so exposed Beast Boy didn't waste anytime joining her on the floor, hugging her tightly. He had never really been good at comforting people; jokes were usually the best BB could come up with. Now was different though; Kandle needed him, not some silly pun.

She was embarrassed with herself for being so weak among other things. Crying because of a few memories…but wasn't that what made people cry most? She tried to shake it off but only succeeded in sobbing harder. Damn emotions…always getting in the way. At least BB was there. Kandle really had missed him and even his lame attempts at being funny.

"Thanks…" Finally controlling herself she took a deep breath and wiped away the remaining tears.

BB nodded his head but slowly released her from the hug. "So…will you think about being nicer? Please?" His eyes widened and made a whimpering sound to rival that of a puppy.

Rolling her eyes, which were red and puffy once again, Kandle threw up her hands, "fine…fine…now stop with that face. I need some sleep." They both got up and Kandle walked him to the door. "Oh and there is no way I'm getting up before eight. I'm on winter break and I plan to sleep through most of it so you guys will just have to save the city without me."

After a short laugh Beast Boy left and Kandle promptly returned to her bed. She heaved a sigh, regretting having come but knowing leaving early was not an option, before falling asleep.

Somewhere in the city a barking dog whined and then was silenced abruptly. On the other side of the Titan Tower Raven snapped out of a deep meditation in a cold sweat and in a corner of Kandle's room a leather bound book, buried beneath clothing, seemed to quiver for a moment. Something was amiss.


	5. It's a Him

Disclaimer: Still don't own TT. What a surprise

A/N: Right, this is basically the introduction to the 'bad' guy because I decided there needed to be one. I'm not quite sure why/when/how but I do have a few ideas. The 'last time' is referring loosely to the Bubonic plague if any of you are interested. This will most likely not be mentioned again but I do love history and that is why it was mentioned as was Rome. It's short-ish but it gets the job done. Whatever that job is...anyway.

Oh and thanks for reviewing Loaned and Sober.

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Licking its lips with a shriveled tongue it finished off the midnight snack. What to do next…full bellied and now eager for something new it dragged itself across the alley. Weak. How it loathed the feeling but it would not be so for long. Bony fingers creaked as it stretched them out, feeling the muddy water that pooled in the cracks of the cement. It brought them to its parched lips, tasting the grime and oil. A city like this, a city of filth, was near perfect. Gotham City would have been better but this would do. It giggled to itself. The simple way to describe the thing would be to call it a literal nightmare. Sickly yellow skin sagged on jutting bones; its eyes were sunken in, set in a face all too narrow. Matted hair was wrapped around the skeletal body and jerky movements made it seem as if whatever the thing was had not used its body in many years. Perhaps it hadn't.

From within the shadowed alleyway it watched people pass by; once upon a time it had been one of them. Now it was something between mortality and simple animation. Alive? Maybe, sometimes it thought it was but most often it just didn't care. Using the wall as support it dragged itself up, joints moaned as they were used. Breath rattled in its chest but once more stuck in its throat when a squeak caught its attention. A scrawny rat scuttled to the feet of the seemingly decomposing being, sniffing the exposed toes and almost began nibbling on them. However, a hand snatched the animal and it began to squeal, trashing about in an surprisingly steel grip.

"Helluw…" It sounded as if drunk, slurred and unsure. Playing with the rat it giggled again wondering how the little, grey animal would taste. "Do I eat you?" Asking the petrified rat, whose eyes had become the size of round pebbles, he bared teeth that had been filed to points. The man-like thing's own eyes shone with malicious intent. "No…no I do not…what a waste…but the sooner the better…" Sinking its teeth into the bristling hairs on the rat's back, blood sprang from the wound and into its mouth. It pulled its lips from the twitching rat. "Lovely…lovely…" It mused happily, letting the animal slip from its clutches and fall on the floor. For a moment the animal did not scamper away but eventually it hobbled off, still bleeding. Already the wound was beginning to smell sour and turn a foul color.

For so long now it had waited, watching the world twist and change since when it had originally been born. Ah yes, those memories were old and tattered like a well used blanket but still there. Against the wall it shuddered in anticipation. His (yes it now remembered that it had been a man) disease would spread thanks to the rat, such a simple creature could cause such havoc. He had learned that last time. This though would be different, this time his disease would not be put out so easily. They would try to save the people of this world but in the end he would win, after all, so busy with other 'villains' who would pay attention to a simple infection spreading? Doctors, of course, with their needles and pills…but that would do no good. Blood stained teeth glimmered in a rouge ray of light, provided by the waning moon.

The process would be slow but Rome wasn't built in a day…although it had burned quite nicely in one so said history. Ah the lovely study of the past, candy-coated truths to protect the innocent so thought the man of deathly appearance.

His plague would spread, sparing no one, starting with this city and conquering others like his own army of pestilence and death. The people would be betrayed by the very air they breathed, the water they drank and the things they ate. He nearly giggled again at the very notion of their helplessness. Then…then they would be his. After he got back his book but that would wait. So boring was waiting…but so mandatory. It would be interesting though, to see these modern people's reaction to his gift of disease. The true nature of humanity was so often exposed in the face of despair.


	6. Dreams and Bug Bites

**Disclaimer: Still don't own the Teen Titans.**

**AN: Yes I realize that I haven't updated in a while but I'd really like it if people would review, just to let me know just how many people actually bother to read my stuff. This chapter's short but it's finally here.**

In her mind Raven was running. The world around her was a sea of black fog, swirling around her ankles and face. It settled deeply in the bottom of her lungs and weighed her down. A sick feeling came over the young woman as the world around her seemed to heave and out of the shadows agonized faces formed. Their eyes were sightless, lips opened wide as if to scream or swallow her. Bodies followed the faces, twisted and deformed, hunched over they moved slowly yet managed to keep up with her rapid pace. They seemed to want something. A cold hand tripped her up and the usually agile girl was sent hurtling to the floor. She could see them clearly now, the discoloration of their eyes and skin…the rash that was spreading over their bodies. Raven tried to fight back but found herself powerless. She wasn't supposed to feel fear but there was no other name for the cold knot in the pit of her stomach. Even though it was a figment of her mind, an unreal event, there was still dread. Her friends were among the diseased; even the alien Starfire had fallen to the illness, clawing at her for no reason other than the want to add to their constantly dying number.

'Wake up, wake up, wake up,' It began as a slow chant but grew into a frantic tune. A deranged Beast Boy was about to devour part of her side in the form of a contaminated wolf when Raven was brought back to the waking world in a jolt. Beads of cold sweat had formed on her creased brow. Only a dream, nothing more, her only thought was of some herbal tea and then a dreamless sleep. Perhaps had this been the first time it came to haunt her thoughts Raven would have been able to dismiss the disturbing images. It wasn't the first though nor even the second.

However, before any more thought could be given to the recurring dreams the Titan's alarm went off and the team was assembled. So began her day and her thoughts did not once return to the plague of her nightmare.

A boy of ten scratched at his arm where a rash was forming. The other day at the park something had bitten him, a bug of sorts, and it had only been a small little bump with a hint of red. Now though even his mother was alarmed.

"Now Travis are you sure you don't know what bit you?" A woman crooned in a nasally voice while sitting the child on her lap.

The boy shook his head and winced as his mother brushed up against the rash, "no mama." Eyes widened and his little lips tightened as he readied himself to cry. The growing anxiety on his mother's face was a dire sign for the young boy.

Chewing on her lower lip the mother thought up all the possible answers to her child's ailment. "It's probably just a spider bite baby. We'll take you to the doctors to get an antibiotic." She'd never seen such a thing before. Within the past hour the rash seemed to have spread and was now turning a dark purplish color, like a bruise almost. What was worse was how the skin unaffected by the rash was beginning to turn the faintest shade of yellow. 'Please just let it be a spider-bite…_'_The woman thought to herself while calling up the local pediatrician.

She began to talk but was startled to find the pleasant voice on the other end a recording. By the time the message ended the woman's face had turned pale. Rushing to the living room she snatched the remote from her son and, despite his livid protests, changed the channel to the Jump City daily news station.

"_...Pandemonium is spreading in Steel City where a strange new plague has taken hold. I'm afraid to announce that a quarantine has been put into action not only there but also here in Jump City…"_

The woman stared blankly at the TV where clips of people crowding into hospitals all over the two afflicted cities were shown. She sank into the couch and waved away her son's question.

"…_We were just informed that the rumor of physical gates being put up is in fact true. No one or nothing is to leave the cities until a reason and cure can be produced…" _The reporter's face dulled and tears could almost be seen in her eyes. They were all rapped and there didn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Mommy? Why are you sad?" The boy titled his head to the side and stared up at his mother. A small hand clenched a handful of the material from the hem of her shirt.

The woman looked down at her son and no words could form as teary eyes gazed down at the rash that was slowly killing him.


	7. Secrets to be Kept

**A/N: My computer has been really aggravating me lately and it's a wonder I managed to get this done without wanting to rip my hair out. I actually sorta like this chapter which is a first but I guess it had to happen at some point. R/R please. **

**Reviews: **

**teenyugiohpotterphantom****: Thanks! and I realize I haven't updated all that soon buuut ehe…I'm just a tad of a procrastinator.**

**Sober: You know I wub you and your reviews. P **

**Lady of Lost and Found: Interesting name…me likes, and thanks for taking the time to review out of your uber busy schedule. **

**Disclaimer: TT isn't mine.**

"Dude, this can't be happening…" Beast Boy was sitting on the couch looking horribly depressed. The rest of the Titans West team were gathered in the living room now meeting chamber. Not even Starfire was her cheery self. The plague had spread throughout the two cities and no one was left unaffected. Perhaps they had yet to fall to the sickness but a loved one or friend was most defiantly a victim. Panic had been replaced with hopelessness as people saw the dead and those dyeing openly on the streets. There was no escape. The center of Steel City was the worst area but the disease was spreading quickly and now the inner districts of Jump City were matching those of the other plague stricken area. Hospitals were filled with people at death's door and hope was a rarity very few knew.

The leader of the Teen Titans had his arms folded across his chest and stood facing the window. "It is happening and we will find a way to stop it," Robin spoke calmly, a lot more calmly than he felt. They'd face countless of villains before but this was different. There was no bad guy or evil team to take down. How did you fight a disease that nothing seemed to cure it? "Maybe Slade has something to do with this," The mentioning of his archenemies earned him a snort from Cyborg and a cold look from Raven.

"I seriously doubt it man, Slade may be bad but this? No way," Cyborg shook his head before continuing, "There's nothing we can do. Soon enough we'll be in need of some saving. Hell we don't even know how Titans East are doing. We haven't been able to get contact with them since Monday. It's almost been a week. Maybe I should go-" His sentence was caught off short but Robin.

"No. We're staying here in the Tower. I'm not risking any members of my team. The decision is final."

Cyborg's features grew dark and in a few steps he was standing face to face with the Boy Wonder. "They might need our help Robin. I'm not such a coward as to hide when our friends, our teammates need us!" He practically bellowed, even Raven winced slightly.

"Oh please friends do not fight," The wide eyed Starfire tugged gently at Robin's arm who continued in the frigid staring match with Cyborg.

Cyborg's hands balled into fists but slowly he backed away, glaring at their team leader. "You'd go if it was Star but apparently the rest of us don't matter as much." He left the rest of his team in a stony silence that only added to the heavy weight upon their shoulders.

Robin watched but made no effort to stop him. "Raven tell us again about your visions," He directed his gaze to the one in question.

"I've told you before; everyone is infected with the disease. We all die, the end," Raven seemed to sink further into the hood of her cloak. She either didn't notice or care when Beast Boy inched closer to her on the couch, trying to find a comfort that wasn't there.

"And why didn't you tell us this earlier?" It was a demanded question that had been repeated over and over again by Robin who was beginning to lose his nerve. "We could have prevented this."

"Like how Robin? You can't be so hard on Raven, she was probably just afraid of it," Beast Boy cut in, defending his friend. For once Raven didn't deny feeling the common emotion of fear and that startled even Beast Boy.

Robin was lost for an answer and could only hold a softly crying Starfire.

**TTTTTTPAGEBREAKTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Cyborg was staring at his baby but that wasn't enough to keep his mind off of the Titans East, more specifically Bumblebee. In all technicalities they weren't 'together' but there was a connection to put in simple terms. He worried for the rest of the team obviously but her image kept popping up in his mind's eye.

"She'll be fine," The speaker walked into the room, her shoes making squeaking sounds with each step. Kandle pulled herself up onto a table and studied the nervous Cyborg with placid eyes. "The disease is going to hit you guys last and she's not fully human anyway I don't think. At least she's not the average person," Swinging her legs over the table's edge she let her gaze drifted around the garage.

Cyborg jumped an inch when she voiced her opinion from the shadow of the stairwell but greeted the redhead with a tired smile. "I wish I knew that for sure. If only Robin wouldn't be such a jackass and let me go over there."

"He's just watching out for you guys. Although it doesn't really matter, you guys will become infected eventually. The only reason is as I said before, the disease is having a harder time fighting your not-so human selves," She spoke about the killing plague as if it were the common cold, "Quiet frankly I'm surprised Robin hasn't shown any signs of it yet but that may be because he hasn't been exposed to the concentrated form of it yet."

They both were silent contemplating a many things, none of them pleasant. "You seem to know a lot about plague…" Cyborg looked at her almost suspiciously.

Kandle didn't seem bothered by the sharp look he gave her, "Most of it's speculation but I guess you can say the study of disease runs in my family. My father could was nearly obsessive with the Bubonic plague. That one spread by rats and people. This one I think is almost the same but worse." She paled at the mentioning of her father but nothing more.

Cyborg quirked a brow, "Worse? How? I don't really remember much about the Black Death other than it had boils and nasty stuff like that."

"Worse as in it doesn't need people to spread it. I think it's in the water, air and even in the food we eat. By simply breathing people can contract the disease. It probably started with a rat but now," She motioned with her hands around the room, "it's everywhere and in every thing. Kind of like a super disease, not really natural." Kandle scratched at an arm without thinking but quickly withdrew the hand from the fabric of her long sleeved shirt.

Cyborg leaned against his car, taken aback, "So how do we beat it?" He had stopped thinking they stood a chance a while ago but the question might as well be asked.

Kandle looked about ready to answer but whatever it was died in her throat. "You can't. None of the Teen Titans can," She closed her eyes as they began to burn with hot tears. "And the disease will just keep on spreading…it doesn't matter what kind of border the government puts up. You can't quarantine the world…." Cyborg moved closer and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Something seemed out of place. It had been nagging him since Kandle had first walked into the garage but what was it? Both eyes shot open as realization dawned on him, the t-shirt. It may have been the heart of December but not once had Cyborg ever seen Kandle wear something with long sleeves before in the Tower. His hand slipped from her shoulder and down to her wrist, in one quick movement he had the sleeve of her shirt rolled up to her elbow. "Kandle…I didn't…" He had been hoping his haunch was wrong. It wasn't.

Kandle opened her eyes slowly and didn't bother to fight Cyborg's curious actions of revealing the bruise-like sores on her arm. "Don't tell Beast Boy," It came out with an exasperated sigh, "There's no use worrying over it." The red bump had formed two days ago and just like every other poor soul in the quarantined areas the sores began to taint her skin.

Cyborg let the sleeve roll over the sores, hiding them from view but not thought. Just in time as well because not a second later Beast Boy came bursting into the garage.

"Cyborg…the Titans East are here. They just…they're telling us about the cities….When we all get up there they'll give us an official report…something like that…." He babbled on like a frightened child, eyes darting every which way until they rested on Kandle. "I was looking for you," Beast Boy collected himself and stopped fidgeting.

Cyborg was out the door in a rush of metal and meat but not before nodding in Kandle's direction.

Kandle slid from the table and was about to go up the stairs when Beast Boy stopped her. "You'd tell me right?" His face was devoid of the usual easygoing joy. Seeing the question in Kandle's eyes he asked the question again in detail. "You'd tell me if you became infected with the plague ya?"

Her lips parted and almost closed in an awkward pause but she saved herself. "Of course Garfield, you know I'd never keep something like that from you," That was enough for Beast Boy who nodded his head and started up the stairs slightly ahead of his friend. Kandle was glad he didn't look back lest he see the guilt written across her face.


	8. Hysterics

**Disclaimer: Still don't own TT. **

**AN: Ya it's short and once again it's delayed. –sweat drop- Damn procrastination and exams…**

**Sober: I'm not addicted to hurting my characters! Seriously! What makes you think that? –pouts- **

**Towkarn: Argh…um…-had to think on this- I guess…maybe? I dunno…heh…-brain spasms- Just read…and I'm not obsessive. –shifty eyes-**

**Teenyugiohpotterphantom: You know…I haven't quite figured that out if dies or not. I guess I should look into that and thankies for reviewing again even though this is like a really late update.**

The Titans East looked tired beyond all reason. They sat in disheveled masses on the couch, Mas y Menos huddling together while Cyborg hovered protectively near Bumblebee. Out of them all Speedy seemed to be faring the worse, he was withdrawn and his hair was haphazard mess. He knew out of the Titans East he would be the first to fall prey to the disease. That knowledge weighed heavily on him.

Bumblebee rose from the couch with a look of apprehension clearly on her face. "We found out what's causing this thing and you're not gonna like it," She drew a deep breath and an anxious Cyborg put a comforting arm around her slumped shoulders. "It's a man…or used to be a man. Whatever it is, he ain't pretty." Mas y Menos voiced their own opinions in a high pitched, extremely fast tone in Spanish. They babbled on, now darting from person to person in the room. "It's bad guys, real bad. There are people everywhere with these rashes and coughing up blood…" Bumblebee let the words drift away sinking into her most recent memories of quite literally running from Steel City.

"We're all going to die…" Everyone's attention turned to Speedy who had said the simple sentence that was on almost everyone's mind. "Whatever the hell the guy is…I saw him touch someone…after…it didn't even look like a person," His knuckles were turning white on his bow and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Calm down Speedy it's not that-" Aqualad tried to reassure his fellow teammate but Speedy interrupted with a short laugh of a frightened man, more like teen.

"Were you going to say bad? It's bad and you know it, you all know it but you're too 'heroic' to admit defeat. Hell even you said it was in the water killing everything from the fish to the coral. We know it's killing things on land and it's probably in the air we're breathing! Or maybe you think you can avoid it because you're not human well screw that you're all going die just like I will," Speedy cried out in hysterics before falling into a forlorn silence.

Kandle tensed and felt a sudden urge to leave the room. The walls seemed to move in closer, suffocating her in stale air. Sweat formed on the palms of her hand and she felt the bile rise in the back of her throat. A cold hand touched her for arm and she would have jumped had Beast Boy not asked if she was alright. Looking at him Kandle gave her head a quick shake before licking her chapped lips, "No…actually…I didn't sleep well last night. You guys don't need me here to discuss how you're gonna 'save the world'." She tried to pass of a dry laugh but it sounded more like a strangled sigh. The Titans watched as she left and Robin sent Beast Boy a curious look.

"She's tired," He shrugged it off unaware of the guilty expression Cyborg tried to hide.

Beast Boy didn't notice but Aqualad had. Actually, he'd been watching her ever since the redhead came into the room but that was besides the point. After a while he knew something was wrong simply by the way she hadn't noticed his staring. That and the fact it was only around four o'clock. Leaning against the couch, and even though he was within hearing distance of the highly important conversation, Aqualad was far too concerned with figuring out what was bothering Kandle to concentrate on what was being said.

"Is it true about the water?"

Robin's question snapped the tall youth out of his thoughts and he turned his gaze from the hall which Kandle had left by back to the rest of the team. "What?"

His ignorance brought on more than a couple dark looks his way. "How can you not be paying attention? A plague is killing off just about everyone in two cities, we could be next and you're daydreaming!" Bumblebee fumed and in a moment was hovering in front of him, jabbing an accusing finger at him.

"Leave him alone Bumblebee," Cyborg cut in, gently pushing her onto the ground and guiding her back to the couch. Sitting down next to her he cradled her gently and against her will both eyelids drooped. "We should continue discussing what needs to be done later. Titans East have been through a lot and probably need some time to recuperate." At Robins nod the teams dispatched to try and find some form of peace as the world they knew was steadily crashing around their ears.

Aqualad was the last to leave the meeting room still mulling over Kandle. He felt an odd flicker of anxiety as a an obvious fact came to light.


	9. Discovery

**Disclaimer: Don't own TT.**

**A/N: Woot for reviews! Lol Maff I hope you don't mind that you were secretly mentioned in this chap. It's only cuz I love you and Sob I dedicate this chapter to you and I hope it keeps you sane. **

He could see the crack of light coming from inside her room and hesitated at the door before walking in. Kandle didn't notice him at first, busied by flipping through a photo album and deaf to the noise of the door opening because of the head phones in her ears. Aqualad took a moment to look her over, frowning as he did so. Was Beast Boy so blind as to not notice the wasting look Kandle had taken on? He could feel some sort of shift in his mind for her. Was it pity?

Aqualad was trying to figure it out but just as he was getting closer to the true emotion, Kandle looked up.

"What the hell is your problem! You just don't fcking walk into someone's room without knocking! Go out, knock and maybe I'll let you in…" Kandle hissed, eyes flashing angrily as she pulled out her ear phones and tossed them to the side. The lyrics to Trapt's song Enigma were loud enough to be heard just faintly.

"_Hey I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding  
I don't wanna be left alone, not when I'm right next to you…"_

She hadn't been sleeping as Beast Boy believed her to be. No, she'd been looking over the pictures in her photo album. Each picture held a memory and was a window to a life Kandle once had. It was painful to look at them, painful to remember but it hurt more that these memories she treasured were beginning to fade.

Aqualad retreated out of the room, glad that Kandle didn't have anything to throw, and then promptly knocked on the door. "Um…can I come in?" There was silence except for the soft music. After what seemed close to an hour the door cracked open and he was face to face with a fuming Kandle. He had faced countless villains but none of them had caused a cold knot to form in his stomach like Kandle did. Whether it was fear at the moment or something else creating the knot, the redhead was sure as hell frightening when angry.

"Is there something you want?" She looked about ready to slam the door in his face and just for reassurance he put a hand on the door. Kandle glanced at his hand and then back to his face, "I don't have time for this you know." Which was the truth actually, she could already feel the disease slowly spreading through her, conquering her immune system and sinking in towards its main goal of killing. It was, to say the least, a horrible feeling and would only grow worse as the time passed. She gave herself three weeks at best but knew by the second the pain would be so unbearable, death would be a welcomed visitor. Such was the price of knowing.

"_We never spoke in the words that we want  
We turn the lights off to find our way out,"_

He listened to the song for a moment before answering, "Beast Boy said you were tired. I came to check on you." The words sounded almost foreign, even to him, so he wasn't surprised when Kandle erupted into a short fit of laughter.

"So in other words, you came to gloat," Kandle leered at him and _as hard as she tried, she couldn't shut the door, Aqualad being much stronger than her_. She wanted him to leave her alone, to let her go back to her happier memories for a short while before having to return to reality. Apparently Aqualad wasn't going to let her _seeing how he refused to budge from the doorway._

"No…I wouldn't do that. Do I look like I'm jumping for joy that you're infected?" He answered her, mildly surprised that she thought so low of him. True they'd never really gotten along, which was an understatement, but still…it wasn't as if he'd ever wished her ill or vise versa so he hoped.

Shocked into silence Kandle licked her lips nervously and against her better judgment moved, giving him clearance to enter the room. "I guess you can come in…but only if you promise not to touch anything or stay too long," She shuffled away and jumped back onto the bed as Aqualad came in, closing the door behind him.

"Nice room…" He wandered around looking at some of the photos taped _to_ the wall unceremoniously and stopped at one of Kandle at school. She was actually smiling and Aqualad wondered for a moment if it was the same Kandle he knew _now_. Her arm was around a handsome youth's shoulders and his around her waist. Aqualad cleared his throat to get Kandle's attention, even though it had never really been diverted from him.

"Yes?" Kandle arched a brow as she looked in his direction; taking note of the picture he had taken an interest in before returning her gaze back to her book.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Aqualad found himself overly curious, almost edgy. It wasn't the normal kind either when facing a villain of skill but a different one that worried him even more.

"Travis? Ya he's a good friend," Kandle answered flatly not bothering to look up from her book. If she had though she would have seen a new expression on the Teen Titan's face, one that would have surprised her almost as much as it did the Titan himself.

"Oh…I see…and are you and Travis…together?" Aqualad was trying to convince himself that the feeling bubbling inside him was not jealousy but he was having a tough time at it. Really, why should he be jealous of some guy in a picture with Kandle? He disliked Kandle. She was a bitch. Then again the girl did have her reasons and it wasn't as if he'd been all too kind either but…but…no this was not jealousy. Aqualad refused to admit to the traitorous emotion as the song playing in the background ended.  
"…I don't wanna be left alone  
No one wants to be left alone…"

At this Kandle did look up, both brows bunched together in a quizzical look. "Why are you asking? It's none of your business." She was about to say something more but a pain from her lungs caused the words to die _in her throat _ and a hoarse cough _took_ their place. Hunched forward and both hands covering her mouth she tried to endure the stabs of pain without tears but failed as the droplets formed and trickled down the sides of her cheeks. As the coughing took hold of her, Kandle didn't notice Aqualad _take a seat beside_ her and only when he put an arm around her shoulders to help ease their violent shaking did she acknowledge his presence.

"Leave…" Kandle managed to murmur between lung wrenching coughs, not so unaware that she couldn't realize his arm around her shoulder was comforting.

He looked down at her but only strengthened his grip around her shoulders, "Not yet." She looked as if about ready to bite his head off even when another bout of coughing caused her entire body to shudder. Garth admired her courage but wished she wouldn't be so idiotic.

When it was over Kandle removed his arm from her shoulders but didn't demand he get off the bed. "He isn't my boyfriend if that's why you were asking," She finally answered his question, curling her fingers over a dampness in the palms of her hands that was not caused by saliva. "Actually, he's gay but we're too good of friends to date even if he wasn't."

Aqualad looked at her in puzzlement for a moment and then there was a feeling of relief he hadn't expected. Not quite sure what to say to that his attention turned to her fists and without asking for permission he uncurled one of them by force. He frowned at the blood that was staining the pale flesh of here hands before sliding off the bed and disappearing into the bathroom for a moment. Returning with a damp cloth he cleaned the blood off of both hands, and then placed them back on her lap.

Kandle was still as he cleaned the blood equally surprised that he was still even in the room and that she was letting him help her. "You didn't have to," She commented blandly, not looking at him but the wall instead.

He shrugged before running a hand through his hair. It was dry and that reminded him of how long it had been since he'd been in the water _-- _almost too long but that could wait. "I know but I did anyway" There was a silence after that, long and awkward. "Look, I know we're not exactly the best of friends but in a time like this we should try not to be so hostile" He tried to catch Kandle's gaze but she continued to look away. "Beast Boy told me what happened to your parents. I'm sorry you lost your dad and that your mom is mentally unwell, really I am, but you can't blame me for that." She was still brooding silently and Aqualad seriously considered just leaving but something wouldn't let him. So he waited and waited until at last Kandle looked away from the wall and directly at him.

Instead of speaking she extended her hand towards him; he started at it for a moment before taking it in one if his own. "I'm Mina Gray but most people call me Kandle. I'm sixteen spent most of my childhood in Africa where I met Beast Boy, attend a coed boarding school and am now stuck in a city that's slowly dieing of a plague." Her tone was cheery, almost perky, and Aqualad was beginning to realize what Beast Boy saw in the redhead. Now matter how cheerful she sounded though, there was a hidden taint of grimness coating what was said.

"Only sixteen? I thought you were older than that." Aqualad flashed her a grin "A hero's not supposed to give away _his_ secret identity but if you promise not to tell anyone…my real name's Garth, I'm almost seventeen, was found as an orphan by Aquaman and am now trying to fight something unlike anything I've ever faced." Kandle thought he was talking about the plague but Garth wasn't so certain _himself_. Fiddling with the rag Gath began sorting out what exactly it was he had begun to feel towards the redhead. Earlier that day it had been a simple spite but now, now he felt something different.

Kandle slipped off the bed, offering Aqualad a slight smile, "Hey I'm starving. Let's go raid the fridge of something. There's probably not much left but I'm pretty sure there's some tofu." She walked to the door and stopped when Garth didn't follow. "You coming?"

He watched her get off the bed, watched as she unknowingly tugged at the sleeve of her shirt and like a truck it full on hit him that she was dieing. Garth had seen the infected people, knew that outside the tower hundreds were dead but seeing Kandle wasting away made the pit of his stomach drop. He couldn't lose her not when he'd just found her.

"Ya, I'm coming," Garth followed her out the door, down the hall and into an emotion that could outlast even death itself.


	10. Like the Ocean

**AN: Um…yeah…I'm gonna be honest, I did lose interest in this during the course of being sick for like a month, having a lot of school work now it's exams and almost summer and just having a lot on my plate. However, I've decided to take this back up and hopefully this chapter doesn't suck and there are still some people who read the fic. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own TT**

It had been three weeks since the quarantine first began. Nothing was the same. The disease had finally invaded the Tower; Robin and Speedy had fallen hard when the plague took hold of them, Raven was infected as was Starfire, their less-than-human genetic code finally cracked. Bumblebee could not escape it nor could Cyborg, his human parts at least. Mas y Menos, together they could outrun almost anything, but they could not outrun the plague. Beast Boy had been one of the last of the Titans to become infected but it had spread quickly and Aqualad was slowly wasting away just like the rest of them. The world outside the Tower had become a living hell. People stayed in their homes, waiting for the end, and hospitals now only catered to the dead.

Kandle lay on the couch, eyes partly closed. She was alone for the moment but it's what she wanted. The Tower was silent and deathly still. Something had to be done, it couldn't end like this.

"Hey…Kandle…" The voice was accompanied by a gentle nudge of her foot. When she didn't answer her name was repeated in a more urgent tone and a harder nudge given to her foot. Finally registering that someone was saying her name Kandle cracked open an eye. She stretched before sliding her legs under her allowing there to be more room for Aqualad to take a seat.

"I guess I must have fallen asleep," Kandle rubbed her eyes and offered the now sitting Aqualad a slight smile. He mirrored her smile with a nervous one. "I'm fine, how's everyone else?" She tugged at the sleeve of her sweater out of habit, it wasn't as if Kandle could hide the rash any longer now that it had crawled up her neck and neared her left cheek.

Aqualad shrugged while sinking deeper into the couch. "No one's died yet…" He answered blandly, knowing that was her secret question, but he too wondered who would be the first to go. It was a traitorous thought but one they could no longer avoid, "Speedy's the worst, Robin's not too far behind…I think Starfire's with him." Kandle nodded her head slightly but said nothing. They openly watched each other, no longer resorting to furtive staring, partly because it was a comfort to see another living being and partly for another reason neither would admit to.

"Are you afraid?"

"Of what exactly?" Came Garth's reply for there were many things to be afraid of.

Kandle sat up unintentionally brushing up against him before settling into a more comfortable seat. She pretended not to notice the way he tensed suddenly or the way her own skin tingled for a moment. "Everything I guess…the plague, dieing…" Kandle brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. "You could have left anytime, maybe before you became infected. The Coast Guard wouldn't have been able to stop you…why are you staying here?" The question had been building up and when she finally did blurt it out Kandle wished she could have taken it back.

He was quick to answer, too quick to have given it much thought so Kandle thought, "I couldn't leave my teammates and I wouldn't have wanted to spread the disease." Garth had prepared the answer knowing that eventually she would have asked and it was not a lie but not the whole reason either.

She should have been pleased with his answer but Kandle felt oddly disappointed. Mentally she scoffed at herself for wanting his answer to be different but at the same time was glad it wasn't. "I suppose," Was her only reply and even Garth noticed the way she was no longer looking at him. Had he blundered? Wasn't his answer the one she wanted? Part of him wanted to add something else to his reason for staying but Garth didn't know what. He frowned, confused at her reaction but even more so at his thoughts.

They were silent again, both uncertain how to carry out the conversation. It always ended like this now that they weren't so certain how they felt about the other. Before the plague it had been simple hate, then after Garth discovered Kandle was ill a budding friendship but now after almost two weeks of constant companionship had passed nothing was clear anymore. Garth cleared his throat while slicking back his hair. "I never met my parents," Kandle was suddenly very interested in what Garth had to say, "They abandoned me right after I was born." His tone was detached as his gaze drifted from the present to the past.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Garth shrugged again, "I thought you should know. I never have really told you about myself."

"But you know almost everything about me because of Beast Boy," Was her flat retort. If the green titan hadn't already been dieing Kandle would have killed him

The teen gave her a quirked grin, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, "Something like that." His hand returned to his lap and Garth could feel her eyes on him, "Aquaman found me and took me in. He even sent me to school when I wasn't fighting crime. I'm not like other Atlanteans either…something about my heritage I guess." Kandle didn't know what to say, what could she? At least her parents had been there for her early years and had loved her.

"I'm sorry…whatever the reason was…they shouldn't have left you to die," She finally managed to say but even that didn't sound right.

Aqualad heaved a sigh accompanied by a painful cough. "My people shouldn't have destroyed your father's ship on neutral waters," He wiped a droplet of blood from the corner of his mouth and met Kandle's eyes.

"That's not really the same…" She was vaguely aware of the words she'd whispered, instead her attention was on his eyes and how easy it was to get lost in them.

"It still wasn't right," He moved closer to her on the couch, slowly his arm found its way around her waist. Kandle's eyes widened for a moment, flickered to his arm but then back to his eyes. She leaned in just as he did. He smelled good…like the ocean…like the days when her father would take her to the beach and life was normal. It happened so fast, one moment they were merely facing each other and the next they were just a breath apart.

His hand was gentle on the side of her face, his lips even softer as they met her own. She had nearly pulled away at first but he had held her prisoner long enough to make her realize he was not a cruel captor. Kandle slid her arms around his neck as she was carefully pulled up onto his lap. All thoughts of resistance faded and as the world around them died something between them was brought to life but Kandle knew it too would not live long. Unless…Kandle let her lips release his and she rested against him, her head resting on his shoulder. He did not protest and held her tightly, staring off into the bleak future.

Kandle's eyes looked up at him but closed tightly as he coughed so she would not have to see the blood he wiped from his lips. Tears leaked through her eyelashes, dripped down her cheeks and onto his clothing. His arms tightened around her but he did not speak comforting words for there were none.

"I'm sorry…" Kandle whispered through her tears, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Aqualad tipped her chin her with a hand.

Kandle shook her head, the tears still coming, and try as she did Kandle could not speak. Garth shushed her and gently pressed her head down back to his shoulder where Kandle kept it. For now Kandle would let herself be held, for now she would let herself pretend there was a future for them…for the world.


End file.
